A door handle with lock that is built for everyday use

The BOVOS DBC 23L is a complete cylinder door lock and handle set for the doors people actually use every day — main doors, bedrooms, offices, shop doors and rental units. Both handle plates, the mortice lock body, the euro-profile cylinder, keys and the full fixing kit come in one box, so a door goes from bare to lockable in a single fitting. At KSh 1,200 it is one of the best-value cylinder locksets on the Kenyan market.

Where a simple 3-lever lock gives you a basic key throw and nothing more, this is a cylinder lockset: the key barrel is a separate, replaceable euro cylinder sitting inside a mortice lock case. That single design difference is why builders and landlords specify it. If a tenant moves out, a key is lost, or a cleaner never returns the spare, you don't replace the whole lock — you swap a cylinder that costs a fraction of the set, in about five minutes, using one screw. The handles, plates and mortice case stay exactly where they are.

Six reasons builders and landlords choose the DBC 23L

Full specifications

How to install & use the BOVOS DBC 23L

1. Mark the height

   Standard handle height in Kenya is 900–1,000 mm from the finished floor to the centre of the handle. Measure up the closing edge and square a light line across both faces and the door edge. On a panel door, keep the lock case inside the mid-rail — never through a thin panel.

2. Mortice the pocket

   Hold the lock case flat against the door edge and pencil round it. Drill overlapping holes down the centre of the edge to the case depth plus 5 mm clearance, then chisel the sides square until the case slides fully in with the faceplate flush.

3. Drill the spindle and cylinder holes

   Offer the lock case against the door face at the same height to transfer the two centres. Drill from both sides toward the middle to avoid splitting the veneer. Spindle hole 10 mm; cylinder hole drilled and pared to the euro keyhole profile using the backplate as your template.

4. Fit the lock case and cylinder

   Slide the case in. Insert the euro cylinder from the outside face and secure it with the long fixing screw through the edge of the case. The cam must sit at 6 o'clock (hanging down) or it won't pass through. Test with the key before going further — the deadbolt should throw and retract smoothly.

5. Recess and screw the faceplate

   Chisel a shallow recess so the faceplate sits flush with the door edge, then fix it with the two supplied screws.

6. Fit the handles

   Push the 8 mm spindle through the case, locate the outside plate over the spindle and cylinder, then the inside plate. Tighten the through-bolts evenly, alternating top and bottom — over-tightening one side first is what causes stiff handles. The lever should drop and spring back level on its own.

7. Fit the strike plate

   Close the door slowly and mark where the latch and deadbolt meet the frame. Chisel two mortices deep enough for the deadbolt to throw fully, then recess and screw the strike plate flush. If the door rattles, move the strike 1–2 mm toward the door stop rather than packing it out.

8. Test before you finish

   Test open first — handle down, latch retracts; key turn, deadbolt throws. Then test closed, from both sides, with all three keys. If the key is stiff only when the door is closed, the strike plate is misaligned, not the lock.

Daily use

Press the lever down to retract the latch and open. To secure, close the door and give the key a full turn until the deadbolt throws home — a half-turn leaves the bolt short of the frame and the door is not actually locked. From inside, the same key throws and releases the bolt.

Care and maintenance

Wipe the plates with a soft dry or slightly damp cloth only. Never use scouring powder, steel wool, thinner, acid cleaners or bleach on a satin nickel finish — they cut straight through the plating. Once or twice a year, puff graphite powder or dry PTFE lubricant into the keyway; never grease or thick oil in a cylinder, as it collects dust and eventually jams the pins. Tighten the through-bolts at the first sign of a loose handle, before the spindle wears the hole oval. Mask the faceplate before the door is painted — cement dust and paint overspray are the two things that kill a new lock.

Related products

Looking for a door lock in Ongata Rongai or Tuala? Shabbiri Hardware Ltd stocks the BOVOS DBC 23L cylinder lock and the full range of door locks, handles and security hardware at both Magadi Road branches. Call 0741 042484 or 0745 554008, email info@shabbirihardware.co.ke, or visit www.shabbirihardware.co.ke.